arrived early the next morning with the head intact; twenty boys carried
it slung on a pole. Skinning it was a fearful business, and occupied me
till dark; toil that I have much regretted, since I find that the skull,
skin, and many other trophies and curios have been unfortunately lost in
transit.
The old chief again came to me and asked me what I was going to kill. I
suggested eland for a change; and knowing that there were several herds
near where I had killed the rhinoceros, I set off in that direction, my
local guides carefully placing a bunch of leaves under a bush on the
left-hand side of the path. This, they informed me, ensured success.
The country was full of splendid hunting-grounds; the young grass was
sprouting from the black, peaty soil, and the new foliage of the trees
afforded grateful shade, beneath which one could walk for hours without
encountering any undergrowth.
The spoor of buffalo, rhinoceros, sable, and hartebeeste was plentiful,
but nothing would satisfy me except eland, and it was not till midday
that I found tracks fresh enough to follow. A six-mile burst brought me
in sight of a herd of twenty, and I was creeping round under cover of
some trees to obtain a good shot at the leading bull when a boy, who had
followed me from the village, let off a dozen ear-piercing whistles to
inform me that he too had seen them. Away dashed the eland, and any one
who has once followed alarmed eland does not eagerly repeat the mistake.
They usually keep up a steady trot till they are clear of the obnoxious
neighbourhood, and when they do stand are so wary that approach is
impossible. The offending native was an ordinary type of the creatures
depicted in books as wonderful hunters and trackers. Personally I have
never found a native of Africa who was anything but an abominable
nuisance out hunting; and after many trials I strictly confined my
hunting attendants to one or two gun-bearers whom I trained to act
instantly on a definite set of signs, and never used them for any
purpose, except to occasionally follow obvious spoor when I wanted to
rest my eyes; even then they needed watching, or they would go wrong.
The Bushmen are, of course, an exception to this rule.
On my way back to camp I was startled by a deafening report and the
shriek of a bullet past my head. The boy who was carrying my 4-bore had
slipped the safety-bolt back, and the trigger had caught in a twig. He
was, of course, carrying the gun loosely on his shoulder, and the effect
of the explosion of fourteen drams of powder was terrific. It knocked
him several feet off the path and stunned him, while the gun described a
graceful parabola, and landed, muzzle downwards, on a patch of soft
soil, fortunately escaping damage.
A messenger arrived in the evening with a note to the effect that the
stray baggage had arrived, and the following day I returned to Chiromo
after a most enjoyable trip.
*CHAPTER V.*
*BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA AND LAKE NYASSA.*
At last, on November 28th, I left Chiromo and started up the river once
more in the good ship _Scott_, and again realized the feelings of a pea
on a drum. Fortunately the skipper was so ill with fever that we took
charge of the boat ourselves, and thus contrived to have something to
eat.
We had lost six valuable weeks through our kit having been put on the
wrong boat at Beira, and as Mohun's expedition had gone on in front we
lost eventually six weeks more, through the transport on the Tanganyika
plateau being temporarily demoralized. Thus the carelessness of our
agent delayed us in all three months. Such is African travel. I no
longer fret when my train is ten minutes late. Even after this wait
some of our things never turned up at all. Mr. Commissioner Alfred
Sharpe, C.B., the greatest and most reticent of African Nimrods, was on
board, but we tried in vain to induce him to tell us some of his
experiences. However, he gave me a piece of advice that afterwards
stood me in good stead: that, when charged by an elephant, the safest
course was to remain quite still till the brute was within four yards,
and then to blaze in his face. This almost invariably turns the brute
or makes him swerve; my experience has certainly proved its efficacy.
Mr. Sharpe has the reputation of being the hardest and most daring
shikari who ever followed an elephant; and many amusing tales are
current of how in the excitement of the chase he would charge cow
elephants to make them get out of his way, in order that he might obtain
his shot at the leading bull. In view of the success that attends many
of the imaginative literary efforts of missionaries and week-end
tourists on the subject of Africa, it is a great pity that the few men
like Alfred Sharpe and Lawley of Beira railway fame, who have had
gigantic experience of Africa past and present, resolutely refuse to
record their invaluable data in a book. Sir Harry Johnston and Selous
have set an admirable example, and if a few more men of their stamp
would write, much of the misleading balderdash that now passes current
as representing the Dark Continent would be happily crushed out of
existence.
[Illustration: I was compelled to stoop down and grope.]
A slight mishap with the machinery delayed us for several hours, and it
was not till noon the following day that we reached Makwira's village.
Young Makwira, who is quite the young gentleman, in knickers, stockings,
spats, collar, and hard hat, provided us with whiskies and milk, and
discussed local politics, displaying no little acumen. I believe that
it was his father who used to be a terror to all travellers on the
Shire, and that but a few years ago, when the elephant still roamed in
thousands on the Elephant Marsh, undisturbed by the shrill whistle of
the stern-wheeler or the bark of the playful 4-bore. It was either old
Makwira or another genial darky in the vicinity, who for some time kept
a tame Portuguese band, and utilized the bandsmen when off duty as
machila-carriers.[#]
[#] _Machila_: Portuguese word acclimatized; a hammock slung to a pole
and carried by a team of men.
The Elephant Marsh is a large tract of country lying on the left bank of
the Shire river, north of Chiromo. In days gone by it teemed with
elephant, buffalo, and game of all descriptions; but the persistent
gunner soon drove the elephant away and decimated the other beasts. And
it was due, I believe, to Sir Harry Johnston that it was made into a
game reserve. The effect has been most beneficial. Herds of waterbuck
and buffalo come to the banks of the river, and lazily watch the
steamers pass; and even elephant have been occasionally seen of late
playing in their old haunts. A more suitable spot for a reserve could
not have been selected. The Shire and Ruo rivers to the south-west and
east, and the highlands to the north, form natural boundaries; there is
plenty of water and ample grazing at all times of the year. Every night
one may hear the lions roaring. By legislative foresight a game
paradise has been saved in the midst of one of the busiest and most
progressive of our African possessions.
At Makwira's we reluctantly bade farewell to Mr. H. C. MacDonald, whose
dry humour and all-embracing hospitality had made my weary sojourn in
Chiromo one of the most delightful stages in our journey. The company
on the steamer was rather embarrassed by the extravaganzas of an
evangelical madman, who had arrived in the country in a state of
destitution, and who is probably by now, under the title D.B.S., a
burden on the community. Such men should be caged, or at least
prevented from running loose amongst the natives, and adding to the
already well-nigh insuperable difficulties of the administration.
A few hours' run brought us to Katunga's, the African Lakes
Corporation's port for Blantyre. The Government station is a little
distance further up the river. The crocodiles, which were very numerous,
had been causing much mortality amongst the natives; one had even seized
the station's bucket, which, for greater safety, was lowered into the
river to draw water from the end of a long pole.
The Government station is the highest navigable point of the river south
of the rapids, and everything has to be unshipped and carried round to
the upper river by native porters or wagons. From Katunga's to Blantyre
there is a well-constructed road, with a half-way house belonging to the
African Lakes Corporation. Captain Rhoades, of the B.C.A. navy,
accompanied me in a mule-cart, and we arrived at Blantyre, the
commercial centre of B.C.A., about sunset. The road quickly mounts from
the Shire valley on to the plateau of the highlands. Looking back over
the valley from the edge of the plateau the view is superb; and much of
the scenery through which the road passes is very beautiful. Most of
the highlands are covered with woods, which at that season were in the
full glory of their vernal tints; the grass was springing up green, and
carpeted with millions of beautiful purple flowers resembling crocuses.
There were many specimens of the mahobahoba tree, or wild loquat: the
timber of this tree is much prized for telegraph poles and similar uses;
and the broad dark-green leaves are exceedingly handsome. We passed
several comfortable-looking homesteads belonging to coffee-planters, and
the fields of neatly-planted coffee-shrubs staggering under their burden
of snowy blossom made me fancy that I was back in the fruit-farms of
Kent.
Coffee is the great industry of British Central Africa, and one that is
likely to bring the little protectorate into the vanguard of our new
possessions in the near future. The quality is second to none; some of
the crops have realized the highest price on the London markets. At
present the industry is more or less paralyzed, owing to the majority of
the planters having started operations on borrowed capital, and, with
one or two exceptions, without previous experience of coffee. But as
soon as the plantations are put on a sound business footing the
prosperity of the community should be assured, always provided that the
administration, by judicious legislation as to rate of pay for
labourers, prevents the labour market from being spoilt. The present
rate of pay is three shillings a month, and a rise must be prevented at
all costs. The labour supply, properly handled, should prove well-nigh
inexhaustible, and, owing to the immigration from the Portuguese sphere,
is steadily increasing. I was informed by many men that the first crop
should pay the expenses of the first three years during which there is
no yield. This is a magnificent return, and by judicious combines,
capitalization, and concentration, Nyassa coffee should become an
important industry. The coffee being of such quality, is only used for
blending at present, so that there is little chance of over-production.
It is one of the few African countries that has natural easy
communication with the coast, and when a light railway has been built,
and shipping and agency have been properly organized, the cost of
transport will be very small. There is also undoubtedly great scope for
subsidiary and supplementary industries, such as cocoa and rubber.
I consider that in British Central Africa there is an excellent opening
for British capital--an opening that appears to be as yet practically
unknown at home. The fact is that Africa is supinely neglected where it
cannot flaunt the magic war-cry, Gold. The Germans, who are ever on the
alert, are already alive to its possibilities, and there were rumours of
a great coffee combine financed by well-known German East Coast
capitalists. It is to be hoped that England will awake to the chance
before the ground has been cut from under her feet, as has already been
done in so many places that I have visited. The wily Teuton is very
much alive to the advantages afforded by British rule, and has already
levied heavy toll on the budding possibilities of trade in our African
dominions. Our trouble is that, with few exceptions, we do not send out
the right men, but consider that any one is good enough for Africa.
This is far from being the case, as new business lines have to be
adopted to ensure success. Adaptability and enterprise belong to genius
and not to mediocrity, and no country requires a more
delicately-adjusted combination of dash, tact, and perseverance than
Africa.
There is a passable hotel in Blantyre, and many fine buildings in brick.
The missionaries have built a large church, and laid out avenues of
eucalyptus which have grown wonderfully well. Unfortunately, as in
Rhodesia, the white ants attack the roots when the trees attain a
certain height. Extensive plantations would unquestionably considerably
modify the climate, which is far from good. The worst type of
haemoglobinuric fever is very prevalent, and the death-rate is
consequently high. However, as more and more land is brought under
cultivation, the country should become healthier. Probably much of the
fever that prevails is brought from the lowlands, which must be
traversed before arriving in the higher altitudes: an improved service
with the coast will obviate this to some extent. At Blantyre I met with
much kindness at the hands of Mr. Codrington, the Commissioner of
Northern Rhodesia, Major Harding, C.M.G., who had been recruiting
Angonis for the B.S.A. Police, and Mr. Wilson of the Trans-Continental
Telegraph, an old school and Cambridge friend, whom I was much surprised
to find in this out-of-the-way corner of the world. Three days later I
left with Mr. Hall of the African Flotilla Company in machilas for
Zomba, the administrative capital. We were to spend the night at the
Nomasi river, which we reached in a torrential downpour. Our delight,
when we discovered that the transport people had sent our tents and
provisions by the wrong road, may be imagined. Fortunately we learned
that Mr. Harrison, whom we had met on the river, was camped in the
vicinity, and he kindly provided us with a shakedown and something to
eat. The following day we reached Zomba, having passed through many
flourishing coffee estates. Here Mr. C. C. Bowring put us up and plied
us with all the obtainable luxuries and comforts, in the intervals of a
fight to the death with a swarm of irate bees who had taken possession
of the interior of the wall of his house. The view across Lake Shirwa
and the forests that clothe the flat plains which surround the lake
ranks amongst the finest that I have seen in Africa. Vast purple masses
of hills enclose the placid lake and its forest-clad plains, and the eye
roams on over an infinity of broken upland and shimmering haze. The
Government House is a large picturesque building standing in the midst
of a well-planted tropical garden, which had, however, been lately
ravaged by a flight of locusts. There was tennis accompanied by a
tea-party, presided over by Miss Harrison, who has nursed many a sick
man back to life, and it seemed as if I had suddenly dropped back into
civilized England. After two pleasant days spent in these unwonted
surroundings, I started in a machila for Liwonde on the Upper Shire,
where I arrived at sunset, and was entertained by Mr. Drummond Hay, an
old "Herzog" friend. I am much shocked to hear that he has since fallen
a victim to the climate.
From Liwonde the S.S. _Monteith_ took me to Fort Johnston, which is the
port of Lake Nyassa, and is situated a few miles south of the bar at the
outlet of the lake. A short distance from Fort Johnston the river opens
out and forms the small lake Pamalomba, formerly a great haunt of
elephant. The lake is very shallow, and as the steamer passes along,
the disturbed mud emits enormous volumes of marsh gas: so great is the
quantity that the water has the appearance of violently boiling. There
have been several instances of men being blown out of their cabins,
owing to their having ignited the gas by absent-mindedly striking a
match. When Sharp passed with Mr. Mohun, somebody threw a lighted match
overboard. Instantly a sheet of flame passed over the barge that was
being towed alongside, and two saddles were seriously burnt.
As we arrived at Fort Johnston late in the evening, I elected to sleep
on board, and was much gratified to find that two couples of married
German missionaries, not content with having monopolized the only two
cabins, had rigged up a large canvas enclosure and were sleeping on
deck. Consequently, I was compelled to place my blankets by the wheel
and sleep in the wind and dew.
Mr. Wallis, the Vice-Consul, entertained me. He has laid the new town
out most admirably, and I could scarcely believe that it had all been
done in a few months. The place was alive with rats, who amused
themselves all night by tobogganing down my face, rushing along my body,
and taking flying leaps from my feet into outer darkness.
Commander Cullen took me over H.M.S. _Gwendoline_, the large new gunboat
that had just been launched for patrolling the lake. It is a splendid
work to have accomplished, when the difficulties of transporting some of
the heavy portions round the rapids are taken into consideration. I was
also introduced to a budding diplomatist, who informed me with pride
that he had fired a soft-nosed bullet at an elephant at one thousand
yards. The elephant escaped.
On December 15th I started on the voyage up the lake in the S.S.
_Domira_, and at midday made Monkey Bay. It is a most beautiful little
spot, and reminded me forcibly of the South Sea Islands. Bold rocky
headlands plunge into the lake and enclose a white strip of sand with
straggling villages at the back. The water is clear as crystal, and
broken by the heads of hundreds of natives diving, swimming, and
splashing about. Ringing peals of laughter echo in the rocks and
startle the troops of baboons that sit watching with curious eyes the
trim little steamer. Picturesque groups of natives are scattered about
the beach, and the little picaninnies are playing on the skeleton of a
wrecked Arab dhow, little dreaming what that dhow had meant to their
fathers a few years before. In the afternoon I strolled out, hoping to
get a shoot at koodoo, for which the place is famous. But the koodoo
were not at home; however, I saw several impala, and shot a small buck
which I believe to have been the duiker described by Sir Alfred Sharpe
as a probable new species. Unfortunately, my natives devoured the skull
and the rats ate the skin. It was a small, reddish-brown buck, similar
in build to a klipspringer, with wiry hair and thick, high-standing hind
quarters.
The next wooding station was Domira Bay, and on the 17th we arrived at
Kota-Kota, which used to be the headquarters of the Arab slave traffic
across the lake, and the starting-point of the Arab raids towards Mweru.
Mr. Swann, the collector, who has had many years' experience of
Tanganyika in the old Arab days, entertained me, and gave me two Angoni
spears which had been taken in the Mpeseni trouble. There are several
missionaries at Kota-Kota. They have started football, and in a rash
moment I was induced to play--a freak which I regretted for many days
afterwards, as it brought on a sharp attack of fever.
Kota-Kota is exceedingly beautiful, as indeed is all the coast of Lake
Nyassa. The hills are heavily wooded, and their bases are broken by the
waves into fantastic caves and rocky promontories against which plays
the white line of surf. Small rocky islands stand out here and there,
and form the resting-place of myriads of cormorants.
Here I first saw the extraordinary "Kungu" fly, which is, I believe,
peculiar to Lake Nyassa. They resemble small may-flies, and at certain
seasons of the year rise from the water in such stupendous clouds that
they blot out the whole horizon. Seen in the distance, they have
exactly the appearance of a rainstorm coming across the lake. When they
are blown landwards they make every place uninhabitable by the stench
which arises from the countless millions that lodge and die on every
inch of sheltered ground. I myself have seen them lying a foot deep in
a room, and I was told that they are often much worse. The natives
sweep them up and make cakes of them. I tasted one, and found it by no
means bad. The next morning we reached Bandawe, another important
station, where there is a large mission-house with extensive plantations
of pineapples and some splendid mango trees. At Nkata Bay, a few miles
further up the coast, a native came and begged us to go and see his
master, who was very ill. Accordingly we set off in the dark, and found
Mr. Broadbridge of the African Trans-Continental Telegraph down with a
severe attack of fever; we did what we could for him, and he shortly
recovered. After a short stop at Luawi to pick up wood, we steamed into
Florence Bay, and at Miss MacCallum's invitation I accompanied her up to
the Livingstone Mission at Mount Waller. Mr. Stewart, one of the
missionaries, who has been for some time working among the northern
Angonis, told me that he had been investigating the history of the
Angonis, who are descendants of the Zulus. There were two great treks
north of the Zulus in the time of Chaka. One, under Moselikatse, marched
to Matabeleland, leaving the ancestors of the present Matabele, and then
north across the Zambesi. There they came into conflict with the
Barotse, and were driven east, eventually settling in Southern
Angoniland of to-day, which lies south-west by west of Lake Nyassa.
The other trek marched north through the Sabi district, leaving the
present Shangaans on their way, and then crossed the Zambesi by the
Kabrabasa rapids and passed near Lake Rukwa. Here the chief died and
the trek split up: one part went north of Tanganyika and settled near
the south-west of the Victoria Nyanza, where they were rediscovered by
Stanley; another part marched round the northern shore of Lake Nyassa;
and yet another returned south and founded Northern Angoniland of
to-day.
Dr. Robert and Mrs. Laws treated me with the greatest hospitality; he
took me round the mission, and showed me the results of their four
years' work since the founding of the station. Dr. Robert Laws was one
of the first explorers of Nyassaland, and was in no small way
responsible for the checkmating of the Portuguese pretensions to what is
now British Central Africa. The station is admirably situated on a
plateau surrounded by hills with valleys intervening, and commands
extensive views across the lake to Amelia Bay and the Livingstone
Mountains, and to the west towards the valley of the Loangwa or Northern
Angoniland. There is a large printing-machine which the natives work
under the superintendence of Mr. Thomson. Here books and magazines and
much work of great merit are produced. The processes of stereotyping
and picture-reproducing on zinc are thoroughly understood by the skilled
natives. In the workshops are several carpenters, one of whom in a few
hours made me a folding camp-chair that accompanied me to Cairo. The
farm and the quarry are both managed by natives. Dr. Laws' system is to
employ native teaching as much as possible. If ability, whole-hearted
earnestness, and hard work can accomplish any good in missionary
endeavour, Dr. Laws ought to succeed. Laden with butter and gigantic
water-melons, I returned to the boat, and the following day we reached
Karonga's, the starting-point for the Stevenson Road.
*CHAPTER VI.*
*KARONGA TO KITUTA ACROSS THE TANGANYIKA PLATEAU.*